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Itchy scalp on Letrozole

Cocobob
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I've recently been taken off Tamoxifen (due to a dreadful reaction)  and put on Letrozole and monthly injections of Zoladex. I'm about 3 weeks into the Letrozole and my head has started to itch like crazy. It's unbearable. There's a slight rash that's on my neck and I'm sure I can feel a rash in my scalp too. My head feels like it's on fire and I just want to scratch my scalp constantly. It's so miserable especially at night.... I've heard that this could be a side effect of Letrozole. Does anyone else have this and what can you do about it? I want to change brand of Letrozole and see if that makes a difference, but I'm not sure if that's possible. I'm waiting for the doctor to call me back torture but just thought  I would ask on here and see if anyone else had any advice? Thanks in Advance

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    Hi Cocobob,

    A very warm welcome to our forum.

    I am sorry to hear that you have such an itchy scalp since you started taking Letrozole. 

    I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer. After my lumpectomy, I took Tamoxifen for 1 year. I then discovered another cancer in the same breast and had a double mastectomy, followed by Letrozole for 6½ years. I developed an incredibly itchy scalp, especially at night. My GP prescribed various treatments for this. Unfortunately, instead of improving things, these made the itching worse and my scalp became sore. I stopped using these preparations. It has now been 14 years since my diagnosis and I still have this problem. 

    If anyone has any solution for this, I would love to know. I do hope that you'll be more successful than me in finding a solution.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

  • Offline in reply to Jolamine

    HI I've just changed from tamoxifen to letrozole 2 weeks ago and my scalp is driving me nuts it's so itchy and I've noticed some hair loss too.

    Pamhug

  • Offline in reply to Pamhug

    Hi Pamhug,

    I am so sorry to hear this. It might be worth having a chat with your specialist nurse or GP. I hope that you can find a solution. If you do, please let me know, as it is now nearly 17 years since I started having hormone therapy and I still haven't found an answer. Have you had any other treatment for your cancer? Hormone therapy can cause the hair to thin - mine certainly did - fortunately, it was thick to start with!.

    Here's wishing you the best of luck in your quest.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

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  • Offline in reply to Pamhug

    Hi Pamhug,

    I am so sorry to hear this. It might be worth having a chat with your specialist nurse or GP. I hope that you can find a solution. If you do, please let me know, as it is now nearly 17 years since I started having hormone therapy and I still haven't found an answer. Have you had any other treatment for your cancer? Hormone therapy can cause the hair to thin - mine certainly did - fortunately, it was thick to start with!.

    Here's wishing you the best of luck in your quest.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

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